5 Things You Need to Know About the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

We're bringing you all the details on the sporting event taking place on February 9 in Pyeongchang, South Korea

By Jess Cohen Feb 08, 2018 11:00 AMTags
Pyeongchang Olympics, 2018LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images

The 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony will take place in just 24 hours!

That's right, the kick-off event in Pyeongchang, South Korea will begin at 8 PM local time, which means it will be early in the morning for those hoping to watch live in the United States. But if that's the case, don't worry because there's more opportunities to check it out.

The opening ceremony marks the official start to the sporting event, so in celebration we're bringing you all of the details on the ceremony.

Check out the list below to find out everything you need to know about the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony!

1. When to Watch: The 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony will begin at 3 a.m. PT and 6 a.m. ET on Friday, February 9. You can watch the event on the NBC Sports app or online at www.nbcolympics.com.

2. Don't Worry If You Already Missed It: In case you're reading this on Friday afternoon, don't panic. NBC will be airing the taped opening ceremony on TV at 8 p.m. ET. So set your DVR to record!

3: Who's Hosting?: Katie Couric and Mike Tirico will be hosting NBC's coverage of the ceremony and the duo has been gearing up for the sporting event in Pyeongchang for the last week.

"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...and I mean ALL my bags. So much for packing light! Very excited to head to #pyeongchang for the #WinterOlympics!!" Katie shared on Instagram, along with a photo of her luggage, on February 1.

4: What Will Team USA Be Wearing?: Last month, Ralph Lauren revealed the uniforms Team USA will wear during the opening ceremony. The patriotic uniforms include a red, white and blue parka, which comes with adjustable heaters!

Team USA uniforms also include a wool sweater, jeans, belt, beanie, suede gloves and boots.

If you want to purchase the Ralph Lauren Team USA Collection, the items will be available online at RalphLauren.com and TeamUSAShop.com as well as in select Ralph Lauren and Polo Ralph Lauren stores.

You can see Team USA's closing ceremony uniforms HERE.

5: Opening Ceremony Schedule: According to the Telegraph, the ceremony "will broadly follow the same structure" as the 2014 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Sochi, Russia. If that's the case, the schedule would be as follows:

1. Entry by the head of state.
2. Playing of the national anthem.
3. The parade of participants.
4. The symbolic release of pigeons.
5. The head of state declares the Games open.
6. Raising the Olympic flag and playing the Olympic anthem.
7. The taking of the Olympic oath by an athlete.
8. The taking of the Olympic oath by an official.
9. The taking of the Olympic oath by a coach.
10. The Olympic flame and the torch relay.
11. The artistic program.

Are you excited to watch the opening ceremony? Sound off in the comments!

Check out E! News' 2022 Beijing Olympics homepage for news, photos and more.